United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Assistance offer
| Type(s)of Assistance: | Expertise, Financial | Scope: | Legal, Implementation |
| Regions: | All |
| Subject(s): | Export Controls, Border Controls, Enforcement |
The UK is willing to consider assistance in response to specific requests from States on the legal and regulatory infrastructure, implementation experience and/or resources for fulfilling the provisions of SCR 1540.
The UK is fully committed to the work of the 1540 Committee in ensuring global implementation of this resolution, including - where appropriate - through providing assistance or advice to others. Bilaterally, the UK works with a range of partners to prevent illicit trafficking in nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and related materials, and their means of delivery. Where appropriate, the UK provides technical assistance to other States. The UK is active in the various law enforcement expert meetings of the proliferation control regimes, disseminating trend information and case studies, and discussing lessons learned and identified best practice. The UK also provides funding to non-governmental organisations to produce assistance tools, such as the National Legislation Implementation Kit, to secure full implementation of Resolution 1540.
The UK also has an active export control outreach programme including through the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence initiative. Outreach visits have been made to a number of States, including some transshipment hubs. These visits have allowed issues connected with effective implementation of export controls to be addressed, with advice and assistance provided where required. These contacts also build the links that facilitate exchange of information, advice on specific cases, and assistance where required.
The UK subscribes fully to the Global Partnership’s Kananaskis Principles to prevent terrorists, or those that harbour them, from gaining access to weapons or materials of mass destruction. The UK has committed up to US$750 million over ten years to the Global Partnership to strengthen international nuclear and biological security and provide renewed impetus to co-operative threat reduction efforts. Further information can be found in the UK’s 2013 Global Partnership Presidency Report.
Assistance through International Organizations
The UK contributes to the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund. The fund supports programmes aimed strengthening nuclear and radiological security. Total UK contributions to the Fund since 2011 come to over £12.4 million.
The UK continues to provide advice on CWC and BTWC implementation to a range of States Party and potential States Party, either bilaterally or in conjunction with the OPCW Technical Secretariat to promote full and effective delivery of convention provisions, improved industry verification, transparency and better national capabilities to respond to and mitigate the use or threat of use of CW or BTW. Together with international partners and the OPCW, the UK played a leading role in the destruction of Syria’s CW programme through provision of financial assistance to the OPCW and direct technical assistance to the Syrian Arab Republic to destroy stockpiles of chemical weapons in 2013/14. The UK maintains an up to date list of governmental experts and laboratories that could provide advice on BTWC implementation and bio-security measures and regularly updates the UNOG database on BTWC Assistance and Cooperation with offers on UK assistance.